Idea Sheets & Activity Kits

Flying Tinsel – How to

Learn how to make a loop of tinsel float and glide around using static electricity! Students use recyclable materials to assemble a wand and then rub it with foam covered with fabric. Rubbing a cloth, such as silk, on the plastic tube causes an electrical charge separation. Some electrons are pulled off one material and transferred to the other material. If the rubbed plastic tube has excess electrons then when the tinsel, having a metallic coating, touches the rubbed area some excess electrons move to and travel along the tinsel. Since the tinsel and tube now both have the same excess (negative) charge the tinsel is repelled away from the tube. The extra electrons on the metal tinsel surface move apart due to being equally repelling, forcing the tinsel to take on a looped shape.

1000 Wins

Evolution by Natural Selection

Simulate evolution with some colorful “critters” and carnivorous “beaky birds”. Simulations are helpful to demonstrate processes like evolution that take place over many years. Observe how adaptations such as camouflage help organisms survive and pass on traits to offspring. Recognize evolution happening simultaneously in both the predator and prey (bird and critter) populations.

Photosynthesis Review Books

Designing Design Challenges

A design challenge involves teams of students working on a task with limited time and materials. In the process, students learn to brainstorm, to work toward a shared goal, to persist by learning and redesigning based on earlier attempts, and to take on the various team roles involved in accomplishing a task as a group.

Member Login

Username:

Password:

Copyright 2016

Have you used one of our Activity Kits recently? Tell us what you think!

We would love to learn more about how our kits are being used. Please take a moment to tell us about a kit you used recently, how you used it and any thoughts or suggestions that could help us improve.